The Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency typically conducts an annual survey of its members in order to update key agency-wide information and assist in projecting suburban demand and population. Summarized below and included in the following pages in written, tabular, and/or graphic form are the most pertinent and interesting highlights of the FY 2005-06 surveys. In FY 2004/2005, several planning studies were completed by the SFPUC, in close coordination with the BAWSCA agencies, including:

• SFPUC Wholesale Customer Water Demand Projections (URS, 2004a)
• SFPUC Wholesale Customer Water Conservation Potential (URS, 2004b)
• SFPUC Wholesale Customer Recycled Water Potential (RMC, 2004)
• SFPUC 2030 Purchase Estimates (URS, 2004)

This series of studies, designed to support the development and implementation of the SFPUC Water System Improvement Program, document projected changes in the service area from 2001 (base year) to 2030:

• 19.1% increase in service area population
• 1.6% increase in residential water use
• 31% increase in service area employment
• 19% increase in total water demand
• 14% reduction in average single family residential water use per person
• 4.1% increase in average gross water use per person
• 25 mgd (7.8%) reduction in use due to implementation of existing water saving plumbing codes

Past, Current and Projected SFPUC Purchases

Current Water Purchases from SFPUC

SFPUC purchases, as reported by BAWSCA agencies, totaled 174.6 mgd in FY 06-07, a 6% increase from the 165 mgd purchased in FY 2005-06. Compared with the 10 year average, purchase levels in FY 2006-07 were above average by 5 mgd. SFPUC purchases in FY 2006-07 were the second highest single year since 1997-98 when the suburban wholesale customers purchased 181 mgd.

Higher than average purchases for FY 05-07 is primarily attributable to a relatively dry spring which increased irrigation demand. Spring purchases were the highest since 2003-04, and the second highest since 1996-97.

Projected Water Purchases from SFPUC

Using agency-supplied demand projections, it is estimated that purchases from the SFPUC – excluding Santa Clara and San Jose – will approach the 184 mgd supply assurance by 2020, if not before. Changing climatological and other forces, however, make it difficult to predict with any degree of confidence the year in which water demand will meet or exceed the supply assurance. Purchases from the SFPUC are estimated to reach 208 mgd by 2030, inclusive of San Jose and Santa Clara.

Total Water Suppy and Demand

Current BAWSCA-Wide Total Water Demand Compared to Pre-Drought Conditions

In FY 1996-97, BAWSCA-wide demand equaled the pre-drought demand of FY 1986-87 at 260 mgd. For 2006-07, total demand was 257 mgd, which is higher than normal and reflects expected year to year variations. A variety of reasons potentially explain this increased water demand including lower annual rainfall combined with warmer spring temperatures (which increased irrigation demand). Voluntary water conservation targets of 10% were initiated during Summer 2007.

Projected BAWSCA-Wide Total Water Demand

Total projected demand at 2030 is estimated to reach 320 mgd while 2030 purchases from SFPUC are estimated to reach 208 mgd. Thus, by 2030, total annual water demand is projected to be 25% greater than 2006-07 levels (see Section III, “Demand Projections”).

Current and Projected Water Supply by Source

BAWSCA’s sources of supply vary little from one year to the next. Of the total amount of water used by BAWSCA agencies in FY 2006-07, 68% came from the SFPUC, 14% from groundwater, 12% from other sources (Santa Clara Valley Water District and the State Water Project), 4% from local surface water (primarily ACWD’s take from Lake Del Valle), and 3% from recycled water. Looking to the future, BAWSCA agencies have made further commitments to diversify their water supply portfolio. Projected savings from implementation of the existing plumbing code are 25 mgd and reduction of the 2030 demand by nearly 8%. In addition, conservation and recycled water will be used to meet an additional 7% of the projected water demand in the service area in 2030 with the SFPUC supplying 65% of the total demand.

Current Water Use by Class of Customer

As with the source of supply, BAWSCA’s demand by customer class varies little over time. Among BAWSCA agencies in FY 2006-07, the residential sector accounted for 59% (153 mgd) of the 257 mgd consumed; commercial and industrial customers, 24% (62 mgd); other, 10% (27 mgd); and unaccounted-for water, 6% (15 mgd). In FY 2006-07, there were 417,894 accounts (service connections) in the entire BAWSCA service area, 89% or 372,233 of which were residential.

Current and Projected Population

The population of the BAWSCA service area increased from 1,657,328 to 1,674,100 between FY 2005-06 and FY 2006-07. Projected population for the BAWSCA service area in 2030 is 1,933,829 or 16% greater than current levels. This growth equates to a population growth rate of less than 0.7% per year, and reflects planned growth within the existing service area boundaries.

Current Water Use Per Capita

Average residential per capita consumption in the BAWSCA service area was 92 gpcpd in FY 2006-07, up slightly from the year before. This is 12% less than the estimated 104 gpcpd in pre-drought FY 1976-77. In FY 2006-07, among BAWSCA agencies, Westborough had the lowest residential per capita consumption at 49.6 gpcpd while Purissima Hills had the highest at 323.6 gpcpd. In FY 2006-07, the 154 gpcpd gross per capita consumption of the BAWSCA service area was slightly higher than FY 2005-06, but 16% less than the pre-drought gross per capita of 182 gpcpd.

Residential Water Bills (as of January 2007) Water Rate Structure

Water bill data has been calculated using each agency’s single-family average monthly use. This information is summarized in Section VII. Among BAWSCA agencies, the average monthly bill ranged from a low of $22.57 in San Jose for 9 units to $122.80 for 12 units in Skyline. The average residential water bill among all BAWSCA agencies was $48.71. Average monthly single-family use varied from 8 to 38 units.

Conservation Best Management Practices

This year’s annual survey included a specific survey noting which conservation Best Management Practices are being implemented by the BAWSCA agencies. The survey results show significant implementation of the conservation Best Management Practices by the BAWSCA agencies. The survey also identifies how an agency is implementing a program – either locally or through a regional program – as well as reasons why an agency might not be implementing a program. The survey results will be used to evaluate potential changes to the water conservation program offered by BAWSCA for the upcoming fiscal year. Specifically, those areas where program implementation appears weak will be targeted as potential new programs to be offered and implemented through the BAWSCA. Survey results are summarized in Section VIII.

Agency Profiles

Agency profiles Agency profiles were updated based on revisions supplied by agency representatives.

March 2008